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Professor charged with luring a child online

Denver7 Investigates has learned a Sociology and Criminal Justice professor from Western State Colorado University in Gunnison is under arrest for suspicion of internet luring of a child.

Daniel Cress, 53, is facing four felony counts, according to court records.

Cress was communicating online with an undercover agent that he believed to be a child under the age of 15, according to the Jefferson County District Attorney's office.

"During the course of the investigation, Cress and the undercover investigator engaged in numerous and repeated communications including text, chat, telephone conversation, and web cam, much of which was sexually explicit," the DA's office stated. "Cress repeatedly asked the person, whom he believed to be a child under the age of 15, to perform sexual acts. He also asked the purported teen to 'sneak-out' with him."

According to arrest warrant affidavit obtained by the Denver7 Investigators, the suspect asked the "teen person" to refer to him as "daddy" and asked if she would like to f--- a middle aged man.

In another conversation, this one on Skype, the arrest warrant affidavit said the suspect appeared "to be masturbating because you can see his left arm moving as if he was."

The Child Sex Offender Internet Investigations, or Cheezo Unit, from the Jefferson County District Attorney's office made the arrest.

Cress is also the director of the Western State Colorado University's honors program. Denver7 Investigates obtained videos of Cress addressing students about the study abroad program, including a video of an event it appears he held at his home.

Denver7 Investigates has contacted Western State Colorado University, but officials have not yet responded.